


Sleeping With Dinosaurs

by DinerGuy, frankie_mcstein



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Ohana, Snark, even though he's never in any danger of course, less hurt/more comfort, poor Magnum, snuggles, the lads are very good boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21807187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinerGuy/pseuds/DinerGuy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/frankie_mcstein/pseuds/frankie_mcstein
Summary: You know the old saying, "Two heads are better than one"? Well, when an injured Magnum needs baby-sitting and Higgy has work to do, it turns out that four legs are better than two.
Comments: 35
Kudos: 172





	Sleeping With Dinosaurs

**Author's Note:**

> Standard disclaimers apply.

It had been exactly one day since Magnum had been allowed to go home from the hospital on the strict orders that he stay in bed or on the couch. The doctor had been insistent, and it was the only way he would discharge the patient.

Magnum's friends were quick to agree. The combination of concussion, cracked ribs, and a broken wrist, in addition to the numerous stitches it had taken to close the wound in his side, had them all worried. And he'd started talking about signing himself out after the third day, which they knew would only make things worse.

Magnum had been less than pleased, but he wasn't about to argue against anything that would mean getting out of the hospital bed he'd been been confined to for almost a week. However, his hopes of ignoring the doctor's orders as soon as he got home were quickly dashed by his friends informing him they were staying with him until he got an all-clear at a follow-up appointment.

That was less than ideal; his next scheduled visit with the doctor wasn't for three days. But the others were insistent, and he didn't have the strength to fight them on it, so Rick and T.C. had helped him get settled on the sofa in the main house. Higgins had offered it so Magnum could relax where they could all easily keep an eye on him, and he hadn't argued because Robin's TV was better than the one in the guest house.

The first day had gone surprisingly well, thanks to the painkillers and exhaustion of the trip from the hospital to the estate. Magnum spent most of the afternoon and evening dozing, and the others took turns sitting nearby so they could help him as needed. Rick had then spent the night on the guest house couch, ready to jump up at a moment's notice if something happened.

The second day was when the trouble started.

Magnum kept insisting he was fine, that he could get up and take care of various things he insisted needed doing—although Higgins assured him she was taking care of the only open case they currently had and refused to tell him if any new requests had come in. She was fairly certain he hadn't guessed she'd removed his phone number from their website; she'd add it back whenever he was cleared to return to regular activities.

He was still napping often, which helped negate some of the trouble the others were having keeping him still. Higgins didn't want to think about the headache it was going to be to make sure he followed the doctor's orders after he'd developed cabin fever. It was going to be worse than keeping a five-year-old occupied.

It was just after he'd drifted off again mid-afternoon when Higgins got a call from a potential client. She would have put it off until one of the guys or Kumu would be available to sit with Magnum, but that would be hours and the woman on the phone had been insistent. And it _did_ promise to be a pretty good payday, better than their P.I. business had seen in some time. The only problem was if the patient woke up while she was gone and tried to do something on his own—and she entertained no hopes that he would do as he'd been told and stay put if he found himself alone.

She sighed as she looked over the top of her computer at the man sleeping on the opposite couch and made her decision.

* * *

After Higgins finished up her meeting at La Mariana, she headed to the bar to check in with Rick and T.C. They'd had their own meeting with an accountant and had just finished up around the same time as Higgins' newest client—and yes, she'd secured the case, of course—left.

"How's Tommy?" Rick asked her as she stepped up to sit on one of the bar stools.

She shrugged and grinned. "Oh, you know, still insisting he has no reason to be confined to the couch."

"We were planning to head over there soon," T.C. supplied. "Thought you might need a break, but I guess Kumu has that covered for you."

Higgins tilted her head. "No, Kumu's off today, something with her family."

"Then…" Rick glanced at T.C. "Who's with Thomas?"

_"I don't want to work. I want to bang on the drum all day."_

Higgins scrambled to pull her mobile from her pocket as the sound of the ringtone interrupted whatever she was about to say.

"Magnum!" she greeted with a smile, putting the call on speaker as she set the device on the bar. "Are you feeling better?"

 _"Not particularly."_ He sounded uncertain, and Rick and T.C. looked at each other and then Higgins in concern.

For her part, she was grinning as she replied, "Why? What's wrong?"

_"Your hellhounds are watching me."_

"Who, Zeus and Apollo? Of course they are. I told them to."

Rick and T.C. were smirking now as Magnum continued to protest.

_"What? Why would you do that? Did you think I was going to sleepwalk to the wine cellar?"_

"No, of course not," Higgins replied matter-of-factly. "You needed someone to keep an eye on you, and I couldn't stay. The lads were the next best thing."

_"Next best thing to what? Jack the Ripper?"_

"Really, Magnum. Is there any need for such histrionics? I was merely expressing my concern for your well-being."

_"Yeah? Well, your concern for my well-being is gonna get me—"_

His abrupt pause had Higgins leaning forward, her brow furrowing in concern. She knew neither of the lads would have actually eaten him like he seemed to think they wanted to, but she wouldn't have put it past the man to have tried something foolish to escape and injured himself.

"Magnum?" she asked, glancing from T.C. and Rick's worried expressions to the phone. "What's wrong?"

When Magnum replied, he was whispering. _"One of them just licked me. Now it knows what I taste like!"_

The unexpected reply had both Rick and T.C. doubled over in laughter, and Higgins barely muffled her own chuckle of amusement.

"Seriously, Magnum?"

 _"Well, you don't have to sound so casual about it!"_ he exclaimed, offense colouring his tone.

"Oh, come on, T.M.!" Rick spoke up now, his voice full of amusement. "Just enjoy the moment; maybe you can even get some doggy cuddles before Higgy gets home."

_"Rick? Are you in on this?"_

"Sure, yeah, Jules and I conspired to murder you via Doberman."

 _"I knew it,"_ Magnum muttered.

"Relax, Magnum; I'll be back shortly," Higgins told him cheerfully. "Just don't try to get up, and you'll be perfectly safe."

It was getting dark by the time Higgins arrived back at the estate. Rick and T.C. had offered to pick up takeaway for dinner and then come over to put on a film and keep Magnum company for the evening. It wasn't the same as if he'd been allowed to run around on his own two feet, and they all knew how much the forced inactivity was getting to their friend. Higgins was looking forward to the evening; she hoped they could make things a little easier for Magnum for the night.

When she walked into the main house, she immediately realised how quiet it was. On the phone, Magnum had sounded so desperate for her to come back and call off the lads she'd been expecting him to yell her name the moment he heard the door open. So the fact that he _hadn't_ said anything had her slightly concerned. Hopefully he'd just fallen asleep waiting for her return.

And, sure enough, she walked into the living room to find the man sound asleep on the couch where she'd left him.

Zeus lifted his head when she walked in, blinking sleepily as he watched her approach. Apollo just rolled his eyes in her direction, not moving from where he was sprawled alongside Magnum, head resting on the man's outstretched arm. Magnum's other arm, wrapped up in its cast, lay on his chest, and one of his legs was tucked up while the other, stretched out, was hidden by Zeus's curled up form.

Higgins grinned and reached for her mobile in her back pocket. "Good lads," she murmured approvingly as she pulled up her camera app. "Good boys."

Magnum let out a soft snore, prompting Apollo to glance his way before looking back to Higgins. She just shook her head in amusement, snapping several pictures of the peaceful scene in front of her as Zeus yawned widely and then settled his head back down on Magnum's left hip and closed his eyes again.

Then Higgins tucked her phone back in her pocket and headed quietly to the kitchen. She didn't want to disturb Magnum, who she knew needed the sleep, but she did find herself hoping the lads would nap just a little longer than Magnum himself. _That_ would definitely be a scene worth recording.


End file.
